The PG has treated Jerry Falwell shabbily

"Intolerance today comes clothed in piety," states the PG editorial "Falwell's Legacy" (May 17). The religious bigotry contained in that one fatuous, tasteless statement can be topped only by the dreadful and distasteful Rob Rogers cartoon on the same page. Most readers can clearly recognize intolerance when they see it ... and read it.

As a seminary student at Princeton 25 years ago I believed the media critique of the Moral Majority that it was neither. Today, however, having religious convictions and expressing them publicly is nearly a criminal offense if one's point of view does not reflect the sophisticated and politically correct "majority," which, by the way, is also neither.

Jerry Falwell was no hero of mine, but he deserves far better treatment in death than what you folks at the PG have given him. It's almost as though the free exchange of ideas, especially faith-based ideas, frightens you. If the Rev. Falwell was a great general in the culture wars, it is quite apparent that there will not be a truce observed in order to show respect for the dead, at least in the pages of the Post-Gazette. How about showing some common decency and basic respect the next time?

REV. DR. KARL McDONALD
Kennedy

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Judge not

Regarding the May 17 editorial cartoon by Rob Rogers: Usually when someone well-known dies the media can't say enough kind things about the person, especially if the person is a liberal or a left-wing activist. Mr. Rogers took it upon himself to act as God in judgment of one aspect of Jerry Falwell's life.

What is especially ironic about this cartoon is that God himself clearly states in the Bible that he does not approve of some people's lifestyles. Romans 1:18-32 is the best passage.

Mr. Rogers can choose not to believe the Bible, but he has no say over who enters heaven. God makes it plain that He loves all of us and sent His Son Jesus Christ to die and take the penalty for our sin. If we confess our sins and believe this, then we go to heaven.

We evangelical Christians do not appreciate our faith and beliefs being belittled by the media. What happened to open and honest debate? If other religions had been the subject of a cartoon similar to this, would the only reaction have been a polite letter to the editor?

KAREN L. CALE
Mars

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Took the low road

Although I was no big fan of Jerry Falwell or his politics, your May 17 editorial cartoon regarding Mr. Falwell was to me just a little hatemongering in itself. The dead are dead. Simply, I found the bashing very uncalled for.

Will I lose a little respect for the Post-Gazette? Oh, yeah. Why don't you start organizing a grass-roots effort in the streets to end the war in Iraq and bring our boys home? Is not the war in Iraq a far more important issue now compared with old sins of a hatemonger himself?

If I got it right, God is the one who has the ultimate forgiveness. Last-minute jabs to the dead are not cool. Post-Gazette, you took the low road on this one.

DAN WILSON
Dravosburg

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Hazelwood's heyday

I read the nostalgic article "Rooted in Hazelwood" (April 21 First Person) and felt a sense of pride. I was one of the group who played tag on the slide at Burgwin playground "until the sun went down."

The article brought back bittersweet memories. I remember a time when there were two grocery stores and eight independent grocers in the town. I remember when there were five drugstores, a five-and-ten and movie theaters.

There hasn't been too much publicity about the positive things in Hazelwood. One person, one generation younger, admitted that it was hard to believe that Hazelwood was ever like it was described in this article. But I experienced it. My friends and I walked to the streetcar stop; it didn't matter what time it was. We walked all over the town, up to the library, to the post office, to the pool, to the grocery store. It was such a simple time.

When I occasionally drive through Hazelwood now, I see that homes on most streets are well-maintained. There's still a sense of pride that's obvious. I am proud of my roots and do what I can to keep in touch with the numerous friends I made in the 50-plus years I lived there.

It seems there is some improvement evident on Second Avenue. Wouldn't it be nice if our politicians contributed time and ideas to restoring a town that has so much history?

SYLVIA GODA
Munhall

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A need for limits

I read with interest the several stories about Shirley Jordan, the Upper St. Clair widow whose trust fund made $10,000 contributions to the political campaigns of three County Council members and a judge totaling $40,000. Although the attorney acting for Mrs. Jordan said she approved the donations, she was quoted in the Post-Gazette as saying she did not ("She's a Big Donor to Politicians, But It's News to Her," April 13).

It is a sad commentary on campaign finance in Allegheny County. There are no restrictions on the amounts of money candidates can solicit or spend in county races. Three years ago, I proposed a version of campaign finance reform to the Allegheny County Council. The plan was embraced on a bipartisan level by state Rep. David Levdansky and former County Council member Doug Price, who introduced the legislation. The plan also received support from former Allegheny County Democratic Chairman Tom Flaherty, along with Rich Caponi, director of AFSCME District 84, and Barry Kauffman of Common Cause of Pennsylvania.

The plan would limit the amount of money a candidate could receive from a single source, including individuals and political action committees. The plan would level the playing field for all candidates and make local elections about people and ideas, not about who has the biggest checkbook. Sadly, the people who could prevent situations like the one concerning Mrs. Jordan have not taken up campaign finance reform since it was proposed. Campaign finance has been a dormant issue for County Council for the past three years.

I sincerely hope that this incident gives impetus to our public officials to take up the issue of campaign finance reform for the people of Allegheny County.

DOMINIC SERAPIGLIA
Member of Council
Jefferson Hills

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Lawrenceville lost

City Council District 7 has degraded into a red-state/blue-state situation leaving neighbors equally divided. Those people who backed Len Bodack in the council race have lost their only voice in city politics ("Dowd's Lead in Council Race Increases by 10 Votes," May 21).

After years of being represented by politicians from outside of Lawrenceville, our community finally had a local resident who understood our problems; that representation will be gone. Lawrenceville and other East End neighborhoods will have all of their local representation based out of Highland Park.

Highland Park residents know very little about high-crime areas, shootings, robberies, drug sales, low SAT test scores, horrible graduation rates and other real problems that take place in our communities every day. Transitional neighborhoods such as mine can fall right back into the dangerous neighborhoods they once were very quickly. Our community does not have the luxury of waiting around for Patrick Dowd to get up to speed while drug dealing and violence continue.

If nothing else, this last election shows a real need for the redistricting of the communities so that the representation serves the constituency. Highland Park residents came out in droves to support Mr. Dowd while Lawrenceville residents overwhelmingly voted for Mr. Bodack. These are obviously two very different communities with contrasting needs.

Mr. Dowd will be a councilman for people with whom he is most familiar -- those being afforded the type of educational background and lifestyle he leads, while others have lost a much-needed voice.

JUSTIN CEOFFE
Lawrenceville

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This deal for illegal immigrants would be bad for our nation

Things we know: Illegal immigration lowers the wages of the middle class. Illegal immigrants cost the taxpayers billions of dollars for their health care and education.

Now the government tells me that if the illegal immigrants pay a fine, are not criminals and can possibly speak some English, they are welcome to stay ("Immigration Deal Provides No Amnesty, Bush Aides Say," May 21). Just who is going to make sure that 12 million people, and counting, are going to do what the law requires?

The government can't even figure out how to provide a bus ride to get people to work. These illegal immigrants are going to get a free ride, just like in 1986.

The middle class is already in trouble. A calamity is in the making.

THOMAS McNAMARA
Tionesta

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